DePaul University
Furman
DePaul Softball Opens 2024 Campaign in North Carolina
2/8/2024 4:04:00 PM | SOFTBALL
Blue Demons set to play five games in three days at first tournament of the season
CHICAGO - DePaul softball kicks off the 2024 season at the UNCW Tournament in Wilmington, N.C., Friday afternoon. The Blue Demons open competition against Furman and UNCW on Friday, with game times set for 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. CT, respectively. Saturday will see action against Queens University of Charlotte at 11 a.m. CT. The weekend wraps up on Sunday morning, as DePaul meets Northern Kentucky at 7:30 a.m. CT and North Dakota State at 9:50 a.m.
Friday's matchup against UNCW will stream on FloSoftball, with all other contests having coverage through StatBroadcast.
BLUE DEMON BITS
- DePaul returns 14 letterwinners from the 2023 roster and welcomes six newcomers to the mix.Â
- Three freshmen and three transfer students are set to make their DePaul debuts.
- The Blue Demons were selected to finish fourth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll.
- DePaul made the BIG EAST Tournament for the 17th-consecutive season in 2023.
- Fifth year Brooke Johnson returns to the team after earning All-BIG EAST First Team Honors for the second-straight season. In 2023, Johnson led the team in at bats (152) and ranked second on the squad in batting average (.316), hits (48) and slugging percentage (.480).
- The Blue Demons welcome back 100 percent of their innings pitched from 2023, with Bella Nigey, Katey Piece, Abbey Pochie and Brenna Smith all returning. Freshman Lydia Ettema rounds out the pitching staff.
- Tracie Adix-Zins is in her sixth season leading her alma mater with a 116-95 record.
ABOUT FURMAN
- The Paladins went 20-32 (8-9 SoCon) in the 2023 season, making it to the second round of the SoCon Tournament.
- Sophomore first baseman Kiley Perry was named the Preseason SoCon Player of the Year.
- Senior Ashlee Lykins earned Preseason First Team All-SoCon selections while three other players received second team honors.
- Stacey Johnson-Whitfield is in her second season leading the Paladins.
- The Paladins and Blue Demons have only met once before, when DePaul won, 8-2, in 1991.
ABOUT UNCW
- The Seahawks went 23-27 (11-8 CAA) during their 2023 campaign, earning them the second seed in the CAA Tournament.
- Junior pitcher Kara Hammock, junior outfielder Arial Pearce and senior infielder Tayler Vitola were all named to the CAA Preseason Watch List after earning All-CAA Honors last season.
- Ashley Wade begins her second year at the helm of the UNCW program.
- The Seahawks and Blue Demons have never met in competition before.
ABOUT QUEENS
- The Royals went 20-26 (10-14 ASUN) last season in their first year as a Division I program.
- Sophomore pitcher Autumn Courtney was named Atlantic Sun Preseason Pitcher of the Year after a freshman campaign with 15 wins, 191 strikeouts and a 2.31 ERA.
- This will be Kella Goins first full season as the head coach of the Royals.Â
- This is the first all-time meeting between Queens and DePaul.Â
ABOUT NORTHERN KENTUCKY
- The Norse won their first Horizon League Championship in 2023 with a 23-32 (13-9 Horizon) record for an NCAA Tournament appearance.
- Senior catcher Maddie Lacer returns after earning 2023 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year.Â
- Four other returners earned All-Conference honors last season - Lauryn Hicks, Ella LeMonier, Jena Rhoads and Brielle DiMemmo.Â
- Kathryn Gleason is in her eighth season leading the Norse and was named the 2023 Horizon League Coach of the Year.
- This is the second all-time meeting between DePaul and Northern Kentucky, with the Blue Demons taking a 7-0 win last season.
ABOUT NORTH DAKOTA STATE
- The Bison earned a 30-21 (13-8 Summit) record during the 2023 campaign.Â
- North Dakota State senior outfielder Emilee Buringa and senior infielder Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage were among 14 Bison named to the 2024 Summit League Players To Watch list.
- The Bison were picked to finish fourth in the Summit League this season.
- Darren Mueller is in his 23rd season leading the Bison.Â
- North Dakota State leads the all-time series, 3-0. This is the first time that the Blue Demons and Bison will meet since March 2016.Â
UP NEXT
DePaul heads to Arlington, Texas to participate in the Maverick Invitational Feb. 16-18. The Blue Demons are set to take on Michigan State, Kansas City, Boise State and host UT-Arlington throughout the weekend.
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all the latest information on DePaul Softball, visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
